A few weeks ago, I was out walking the dog early in the morning when I caught a “tagger” painting his logo on my neighbor’s house. Tagging is when young men use spray paint to plaster their logo or name (called their “tag”) on public buildings, including people’s houses. I didn’t make a scene because the neighbor in question is a complete asshole, but I … Continue reading A Mural for Vadim Krasnoselsky
Don’t have too much to add to this photo and brief post about mamaliga from one of my favorite new bloggers except that it’s interesting how each region of Romania (and RM and Ukraine) has their own different traditions about how to eat the stuff. In Cluj, it was often akin to a garlic and cheese “pie” while Sarah’s post talks about how people eat … Continue reading Let’s Eat Mamaliga!
Kornis Castle, located near the city of Dej, is my favorite abandoned Transylvanian castle to date, though that’s bound to change in the near future as the weather gets better. It’s a bit removed from Dej itself, so if you arrive in the city by train or bus you should find some way to get to the castle by car. I hitchhiked there with little trouble from … Continue reading Abandonment Issues: Kornis Castle
Few places in Romania have a higher concentration of garish gypsy palaces than the little town of Huedin, located just west of Cluj. The palaces have always struck me as the architectural equivalent of gold grillz and raised trucks—flashy emblems for American proles who want to project a moneyed lifestyle despite earning $30,000 a year. Most people look at such ostentation and shake their heads, including myself. … Continue reading Gypsy Palaces in Huedin
All Things Romania 